Island



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. E. BROWN. MACHINE FOR DRYING WADDING.

Patented Feb. 11, 1896.

Inveniar WiZnesses.

M. M Q

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. E; BROWN. MACHINE FOR DRYING WADDING.

No. 554,585 Patented Feb. 11, 1896.

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I Witnesses. [2211672202 mini) STATE ATENT. F

OTIS E. DROWN, or LINCOLN, nnonn ISLAND.

MACHINE FOR DRYING WADDING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,585, dated February11, 1896. Application filed July 5, 1894. Serial No. 516,594. (Nomodel.)

1'0 60% Lu/"1 0710 it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTIS E. DROWN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the town of Lincoln, in the county of Providence and Stateof Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inManufacture of and Mechanism for Making and Drying Wadding, &c. and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will en able others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of and mechanismfor making waddingthat is, the production of a continuous web ofloosely-carded material, as cotton-the same being continuously sized orstarched on both sides and dried while connected with the web issuingfrom the card and subsequently book-folded or cut into sheets, asdesired.

In drying apparatus hitherto employed the devices have usually been soconstructed and arranged that the heated air was permitted to escapebefore it had been suflieiently charged with moisture, therebymaterially increasing the operating expenses. S uch former devices notonly required a greater amount of fuel to supply the needed heat orsteam, but the corresponding output was greatly reduced, as comparedwith the improvements forming the subject of my present invention.

My invention consists, essentially, in producing a continuous web offibrous material, as cotton, sizing or starching both sides of thetraveling web, passing it through aheated drying-chamber to evaporatethe moisture from the thus-treated web, exhausting the moisture-ladenhot air from the chamber, admitting outer or cold air to theheating-chamber. to replace the exhausted hot air, and finallyconverting the thus-produced web of wadding into sheets, layers orrollers, as desired.

It further consists in providing the upper portion of the heating-roomor drying-chamber with a series of diaphragms or partitions arrangedabove one another to form intercommunicating smaller chamberscommunicatin g with the lower portion of the main chamber, all as willbe more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings, illustrating my invention,Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, in partialelevation, on line 0 0 of Fig.

2. Fig. 2is a transverse sectional view taken on line 00 a: of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a similar sectional View of a heating-chamber, &c., as usuallyconstructed; and Fig. 4 shows a modified form of the diaphragm.

I would state here that I do not broadly claim mechanisms for producinga continuous web of cotton wadding. The novelty of my invention resides,essentially, in the construction of the drying room or chamber, andthrough which latter the web is carried back and forth. Means forproducing the web, as a card A, suitably-actuated sizing or starchingrolls, as B, between which the web .is passed continuously, therebysizing both sides of the web, and a series of suitably-supportedcontinuously-traveling endless aprons or conveyers, as C, for carryingthe web back and forth through the drying room or chamber, as D, areallold. Fig. 3 shows an arrangement of such well-known devices. In saidfigure the drying-chamberD is simply a comparatively-large room having aheating-coil E or other suitable heating means located in the lowerportion thereof and having in the upper portionthe series of endless-webconveyers 0 arranged above one another. When thus constructed orarranged, it will be seen that most of the heated air in rising simplycomes in contact with the under side of the lower apron and its load andthen flows or 0 passes upwardly to the right and left past the edges ofthe other aprons and finally escapes through the exhaust-passage m. (Seearrowdirection, &c., Fig. Obviously in the arrangement last referred tothe heated air will 5 or at least is liable to pass out of the chamberbefore it takes up or absorbs a sufficient amount of moisture.Consequently the operation must be longer continued, thus increasing thecost in order to thoroughly free the web of all its moisture.

In my improved drying room or chamberH the heating means or coils E areor may be substantially the same as indicated in said Fig. 3, since Imake no claim herewith to such part of the apparatus. The same alsoapplies with respect to the carding-engine A, sizingrolls B, and theseries of endless aprons or eonveyers 0, arranged to receive thecontinuous web from the card and carry it back and forth through andlongitudinally of the drying-chamber.

At or near the bottom of the drying-room II, I prefer to locate a seriesof controllable intake or cold-air ducts I). These furnish cold air tothe chamber to supply or take the place of the discharged heated air,the latter being exhausted mechanically or in any other suitable mannerinto a passage d connnunicating with the top of the chamber.

The series of endless carriers or conveyers C are located in the upperportion of the drying-room II and about midway of the same transversely.(See Fig. 2.) They extend longitudinally oi the drying-room and, asdrawn, pass through narrow openings h, formed in the end walls 7L2. (SeeFig. 1.) In order to pro vide ample time, &c., for the passage of thecontinuous web 10 back and forth through the room II, I may make thelatter some sixty feet to seventy-five leet long. Each carrier or apronC may consist of a pair of linked chains united laterally at intervalsand adapted to support the web to, as common, the chains in turn beingsupported or guided by side brackets a secured to uprights f.

Just above each carrier 0 is secured a diaphragm or partition I Theseextend substantially the length of the drying-room, but do not extendentirely across it transversely. As drawn, (see Fig. 2,) I have showntwo of such partitions, the same being arranged in a zigzag mannerthatis, one edge forms a close joint with the side wall of the room and theother or free edge falls short of the adjacent wall-thereby formingaspace or opening .9 for the passage of the heated air. The otherpartition is reversely arranged with respect tothe first-named or lowerpartition. Consequently the heated air as it passes upwardly from thelower portion of the drying-room into the exhaust-passage (l iscompelled to travel in a circuitous or zigzag course. In order tofurther increase the efficiency of the device, I prefer to make thesurface of the partitions P bright or planished. Continuous sheets ofcopper or tin answer very well for the purpose. I prefer also to set thepartitions at a slight angle with respect to the horizontally-travelingweb of material 10, as shown in Fig. 2.

3y means of the construction and arrangement just described it isapparent that the heated air in rising will first come in contact withthe under side of the traveling web, restin g on the bottom carrier, andwith the under side of the lower partition, the latter at the same timeradiating heat from its surface onto the upper side of the web adjacentthereto. The heat then passes around the end or side edge of saidpartition through opening 3 and comes in contact with the otherpartition and the corresponding portion of the web. Thence the heatpasses around the free edge of the last-named partition into the topspace, in which is located the last carrier, and into theexhaust-passage d. A blower or other mechanically-actuated analogousdevice may be connected with the opening d, whereby the moisture-ladenheated air may be exhausted from the drying-room and thus producecirculation, cold air at the same time being supplied into the room IIthrough the ducts or passages Z).

I would state that although I have shown two partitions, P, it isobvious that any other number of them may be employed, the carriersbeing arranged correspondingly. The partitions may be made readilyremovable if desired. They may also be provided with dampers or gates,as g, Fig. 4, for controlling the openings .9 without departing from thespirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention* 1. In a drying apparatus for wadding or othercontinuous material, the combination with a heating-chamber and carrierstherein for the wadding extending lengthwise o'fthe chamber, ofdiaphragms arranged one above the other, extending transversely of thechamber each closing the ascent of the heated air at one side of thechamber and leaving an opening or passage therefor on the other side,said closures and openin being arranged on opposite sides alternatelywhereby there is formed a zigzag passage for the heated air transverseto the path of the wadding, substantially as described.

2. In a drying apparatus, for wadding or other continuous material, thecombination, with a heating-chamber, of endless aprons adapted to conveythe waddin g through said chamber, and rollers for said aprons andindependent rollers for turning said waddin g, substantially asdescribed.

3. Ina drying apparatus for wadding or other continuous material, thecombination, with a heating-chamber, of endless aprons to carry thewaddin g through said chamber, rollers for the aprons located outsidesaid chamber, the latter being provided with openings for said aprons,diaphragms arranged one above another, extendin transversely of thechamber each closing the ascent of the heated air at one side of thechamber and leaving an opening or passage therefor on the other side,said closures and openings being arranged on. opposite sides alternatelywhereby there is formed a zigzag passage for the heated air transverseto the path of the wadding, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

OTIS E. DI 1OWN \Vitnesses: 7

mo. 11. REMINGTON, IDA M. WVARREN.

